Amra Pajalic

Feeling a bit scattered. I’m flitting between a multitude of tasks. Last week I completed editing the anthology Insider Stories from the Western Suburbs anthology that students at St Albans Secondary College produced during the workshops I ran in Term 3. Next year we’ll have an official ceremony and each student who submitted a story will receive a copy of the book, so I’m really excited about that.

At the moment I’m still working on the book What a Muslim Woman Looks Like profiling women who did the leadership course. I’ve completed three profiles, which have been edited by our external editor, and have another three to write. I’ve started two of them, it’s just a matter of knuckling down and finishing them off. I’m also sourcing quotes for graphic design, website design, and printing, which is time-consuming in itself, but it all needs to be set up so that when the writing and photography are finished, we can move onto the next stage.

And of course I’m working on my novel. I’m at the stage now where it’s all coming together. I was talking to someone recently and said I hate writing, but love revising. This is where I’m at now. I’ve got all the raw material that I’m piecing together like a puzzle into a seamless draft, identifying what scenes I have to write to join it all together, where to insert snippets of information, and show the characters on the page. Every time I open the document I’m just able to flit around smoothing out rough edges and making it beautiful. And I’m also writing an acquittal report to Arts Victoria who funded me for the writing of this project.

All in all busy as, but loving it. I managed to squeeze in some reading though. Over the weekend I had the pleasure of reading Fiona Wood’s Six Impossible Things and what a wonderful book it was. I loved her character Dan and his whole messy life. It was such a pleasure to read about a teenager that was trying so hard to be responsible and good, and managing to succeed most of the time. Also the love story aspects between Dan and Estelle was so beautifully portrayed and the whole book had such a feel good vibe about it.

Anyway, better get back to my to do list. What’s on your list?

I just received an email about this petition and am absolutely outraged. It seems there are plans afoot to rejig the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing course in order to minimise creative writing subjects as well as reduce the teaching hours of this course.

I commenced this course in 2000 on a part time basis. I’d always had the dream of being a writer, but didn’t know where or how to begin. After completing high school I did an admin course and and got a job as a receptionist. Realising that this job was a means to an end I wanted to study further and found the Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing at CAE TAFE.

I began studying on a part time basis, two subjects per semester, while working my day job and this course changed my life. I had the opportunity to experiment in fictional genres and find what I liked writing, while also completing communications subjects that gave me practical skills. Through the course I gained promotions in administration because of my excellent communication skills and moved away from reception jobs.

I moved to Sydney and enrolled in a BA at the University of Western Sydney. They had a stream Bachelor of Arts in Applied Humanities and with my Diploma of Arts I received Recognition of Prior Learning and completed 12 subjects in order to qualify with a BA.

With these qualifications I was able to gain further promotions and my job in Sydney involved editing publications and pamphlets, coordinating events and managing databases. All of these opportunities were only possible because of the TAFE course was a ladder on a long academic career.

While the TAFE course had practical benefits in my paid gigs, it was invaluable in giving me the skills I needed to develop my professional writing career. It was a ten year journey of writing short stories and developing a literary portfolio, while working on novels on the side. I have my first novel hidden in my bottom drawer and my debut novel The Good Daughter was actually the second novel I wrote.

This attempt to dumb down the Diploma disregards the benefits that the creatives subjects provide. They give students the opportunities to experiment with their writing, develop their lateral thinking and communications skills. Many a student who has completed these courses have developed successful careers as fiction writers while also giving them the opportunity to expand their skills for further employment in paid jobs.

I know I wouldn’t have commenced the course if I didn’t have the opportunity to undertake the creative writing subjects and who knows where I would have been now. This view that creative subjects have nothing to contribute disregards the learning process. The best learning you do is when you’re engaged and having fun. While not everyone who completes creative writing subjects will be a published author they will gain invaluable skills they will be able to apply to many facets of their lives. So if you’re as outraged as I am sign the petition and spread the word.

http://www.petitions24.com/save_creative_writing_in_tafe

Have a big smile on my face because my husband wrote me a gorgeous poem. Can’t believe that 13 + years later we’re still so lovey dovey.

An ode to my wife

No folks this is not a poem
although i will try to rhyme

This is an ode to my wife
my beautiful love, for whom I have
so much love that I would consider
committing a crime

I always knew that her love is great
but only after our daughter was born I realised
that it is boundless and constant
I am telling you straight

For her she would do anything
Insomnia, tiredness and carpal tunnel
never stops her
only more love and strength she manages to channel

She is pretty and funny and sexy and smart
I love her mind and her body and
and her every single part

I love you Amra and I love our wonderful daughter Sofia
And I will always love you both

A new review on Chicklish blog.

If you would like to know more about me and St Albans, the suburb I live in and set my novel The Good Daughter in, click here. This is a great project I was involved in where people from St Albans were interviewed and there are some fascinating stories. Check out some of the other stories too.